Welcome to Topsail Adventures

It’s been a weird month it really has. We began full of hope – about to move the boat up to Gosport for her annual lift-out as we entered final preparations for the 2020 season. Now, as April draws to a close, we’re locked-down on the Beaulieu River, down-rigged with the Winter covers back on, wondering if there will be any sailing at all this year.

With much less fanfare than is usual, and earlier than ever before, we have today launched Amelie Rose’s 2021 Sailing Schedule. COVID-19 has been interfering with this year’s summer so we thought that folks might appreciate the opportunity to look ahead to happier times when the lockdown and social distancing will (hopefully) be just bad memories.

As I write this, COVID-19 continues to ravage lives, economies, and our sailing schedule. While much is still unclear, some news has emerged – very little of it positive unfortunately. I’ve collected together the various updates in this article and will bring you any further news via the website and on our Facebook feed as they happen.

It’s been a few years since we did a longer cruise to the Channel Islands and we’ve been getting withdrawal symptoms – especially since spending time there on our Clean Seas Odyssey and visiting every year for our work with the Set Sail Trust. With this in mind, when a gap opened up towards the end of the year, we thought it high time that we take the opportunity to schedule a proper visit once more.

Gliding, warping and winding sound more like the pastimes of a pilot, a Star Trek fan and a horologist but as the Skipper points out, they’re techniques that can also come in handy when manoeuvring traditional long keel vessels around a harbour too. This time they continue their series on close quarters boat handling under engine by looking at ferry gliding and a couple of rope tricks.

Message from Nic Beck – owner/skipper of the Amelie Rose:

I have no higher priority than the health and well-being of our guests, crews, and their friends and families – especially those who are in COVID-19 high-risk groups. I am also keen to ensure that people who have booked aboard the Amelie Rose for our 2020 season do not lose out financially from any actions I take in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With this in mind I have today released this update to our COVID-19 response policy…

White sandy beaches and gently waving palm trees - all set against a rolling ocean. Are we cruising around the Med, holidaying in the Canaries or cast away on a Caribbean island? No! We’re much closer to home in the wonderful Isles of Scilly. Loved and feared in almost equal measure by sailors throughout history, what is it that makes the islands such a wonderful (but nerve-wracking) sailing destination?

That time has rolled around again. The time that we set off South from Falmouth to enter a world that time forgot. The time that we step back into a history when traditional sail ruled the waves and when sailors home from the sea would gather to drink good beer, sing great songs and tell tall tales. Skipper Nic spills the beans on the 10 things that drag them back to the Brest Maritime Festival and Douarnenez Temps Fete double-header time and time again…

One of the first recipes that we tried out when we started to introduce more plant-based meals to Amelie Rose’s galley, this fabulous vegetarian bolognaise sauce has become a firm favourite with all our crews. Easily upgradable to fully vegan with the replacement of the cheese and cream with plant-based options it has a real depth of flavour and is surprisingly quick to knock up.